Life belt



June 25, 1963 C. B. MARTIN, JR

LIFE BELT Original Filed March 14, 1961 .l INVENTOR.

CLARENCE B. MART|N,JR. 25 BYW ATTORNEY United States Patent 3 Claims. (Cl. 9-340) This application is a continuation of application, Serial No. 95,541 filed March 14, 1961 and now abandoned.

This invention relates to life belts and more especially to a ski belt and the like having fastening means avoiding contact with, and consequent chafing of the body of the user.

Water safety equipment used for water skiing and the like must be so constructed as to avoid restricting the movements of the user and yet be securely attached to the person of the user to prevent disengagement such as might result from a fall into the water.

Various means have been used to secure fastening means to the buoyant portion of a ski belt securely and yet permit proper operation of the fastening means, for example, the fastening means in the form of a belt has itself been sandwiched into the buoyant portion itself. While such structure is effective in fastening the belt to the buoyant portion, it is relatively complicated from a manufacturing standpoint and the buckle for securing the belt together chafes the body of the wearer. Therefore, the problem to which this invention is addressed is to properly and conveniently secure straps to the buoyant portion of a life belt and at the same time prevent contact by fastening means with the body of the user when the belt is fastened for use about the body.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the invention to securely and conveniently fasten a fastening strap to the buoyant portion of a life belt.

Another object of the invention is to securely fasten the buoyant portion of a life belt to the body of the user.

Another object of the invention is to securely fasten the buoyant portion of a life belt to the body of the user and prevent chafing by the fastening means.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a life belt which may be inexpensively manufactured and yet securely fix the fastening means to the belt and the belt to the user without chafing.

The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features thereof.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating a belt constructed in accordance with the present invention fastened about the body of a user,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating belt fastening means constructed in accordance with the present invention, and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional plan view of the belt taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1.

A life belt constructed in accordance with the present invention is illustrated as including an elongated flexible buoyant member A for supporting the wearer in the water. A vertical rib B is defined within the buoyant element by a pair of longitudinally spaced aligned apertures adjacent each end of the buoyant element A. A strap C is looped around each rib so that each strap forms a 'loop with a free strap portion for each loop being disposed on one side of the buoyant element in alignment with each other. Suitable fastening means D are provided in the form of a buckle to secure the free strap portions together. Thus,

3,094,725 Patented June 25, 1963 the fastening means are securely fastened to the buoyant portion of the belt and are separated from the body of the user, thus avoiding conact therewith.

Referring more especially to FIGURE 2, it will be noted that the elongated flexible buoyant element A has a smooth inner substantially rectangular surface 10* and an outer corresponding surface 11. The inner surface 10 engages the waist of the wearer as illustrated in FIGURE 1. The buoyant portion A, of substantially rectangular cross-section, has upper and lower surfaces 12 and 13, respectively, and is of sufiicient width to support the wearer in the water. End portions 14 and 15, respectively, are provided so that the belt will be of substantial length to encompass the waist of the user leaving an open gap portion.

The buoyant portion A may be constructed of any suitable buoyant material but it has been found that an expanded unicellular foam is preferable. Such a material is polyvinyl chloride expanded unicellular foam supplied by the B. F. Goodrich Company, Shelton, Connecticut, known as Type IA VS 400 CG. The buoyant portion A is provided with a thin coating which is not specifically illustrated in the drawing because it is too thin to illustrate without distortion. This coating is a polyvinyl chloride dip supplied by the Allerton Chemical Company, Inc., of Rochester, N. Y., and is known as 8VL-2136O White Lacquer Hot Dip.

The vertical ribs B are provided with additional protection and strength by the strips 16 and 17 which extend around the ends 14 and 15 and a portion of the surfaces 10 and :11. The strips 16 and 17, however, do not cover the pairs of spaced apertures 18 and 19 defining the ribs B on respective ends of the buoyant portion A. The strips 16 and 17 may be formed from any suitable material and such a material is 40 mil polyvinyl chloride plastic unsupported sheets laminated thereon with a suitable Waterproof glue.

The straps C may be constructed of any suitable material such as Woven webbing and loops 20 and 21 pass around respective ribs B. The loops 20 and 21 are formed by sewing the ends of webbing together as at 22 and 23, respectively. Metal clamps 24 and 25 are provided to clamp one end of the loops tightly against each of the ribs B. Suitable fastening means are provided in the form of a buckle D, one end of which is fastened in a looped end 26 of the looped webbing 20. The looped webbing 21 has a free end 28 which is suitably locked by the slide 29 of the buckle D.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A life belt for use in water sports including, an den gated flexible buoyant element having substantial thickness and suitable width for floating the wearer when fastened about the waist of the wearer, a vertical rib defined within the buoyant element by a pair of longitudi ll spaced aligned apertures adjacent each end'of the buoyant l went, a strap looped around each rib so that each strap forms a loop with a free strap portion, said free strap portions being disposed on one side of the buoyant element in alignment with each other on the side of the buoyant element remote from the body of the wearer when fastened about the waist of the wearer, and fastening means carried by the free strap portions, the ends of said buoyant element being in close proximity to each other when the fastening means are secured to position the belt about the waist of the wearer, whereby the fastening means are separated from the body of the wearer avoiding contact therewith.

2. A life belt for use in water sports including, an elongated flexible buoyant element of substantially rectangular cross-section having substantial thickness and suitable width for floating the wearer, when fastened about the Waist of the wearer, a vertical rib defined within the buoyant element by a pair of longitudinally spaced aligned apertures adjacent each end of the buoyant element, a reinforcing strip laminated over the inner and outer surfaces of each rib and adjacent areas :of the buoyant element, a strap looped around each rib so that each'strap forms a loop with a free strap portion, said free strap portions being disposed on one side of the buoyant element in alignment with each other on the side of the buoyant element remote from the body of the wearer when fastened about the waist of the wearer, and fastening means including a buckle carried by the free strap portions, the ends of said buoyant element being in close proximity to each other when the fastening means are secured to position the belt about the waist of the wearer, whereby the fastening means are separated from the body of the wearer avoiding contact therewith.

3. A life belt for use in water sports including, an elongated fiexible buoyant element having substantial thickness and suitable width for floating the wearer when fiastened about the waist of the wearer, said element being constructed of an expanded unicellular foam material, a plurality of longitudinally spaced aligned apertures extending through the buoyant element, a strap looped through each aperture with a strap portion being disposed on one side of the buoyant element adjacent one end thereof in alignment with a corresponding strap portion adjacent the other end thereof, said strap portions being disposed on a side of the buoyant element adapted to be worn remote from the body of the wearer when fastened about the waist of the wearer, and fastening means carried by said strap portions, the ends of said buoyant element being in close proximity to each other when the fastening means are secured to position the belt about the waist of the wearer, whereby said strap portions are securely fastened to the buoyant element, and whereby the fastening means are separated from the body of the wearer avoiding contact therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,950,489 Pattison Aug. 30, 1960 3,049,735 Baker Aug. 21, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,248,039 France Oct. 31, 1960 

1. A LIFE BELT FOR USE IN WATER SPORTS INCLUDING, AN ELONGATED FLEXIBLE BUOYANT ELEMENT HAVING SUBSTANTIAL THICKNESS AND SUITABLE WIDTH FOR FLOATING THE WEARER WHEN FASTENED ABOUT THE WAIST OF THE WEARER, A VERTICAL RIB DEFINED WITHIN THE BUOYANT ELEMENT BY A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED ALIGNED APERTURES ADJACENT EACH END OF THE BUOYANT ELEMENT, A STRAP LOOPED AROUND EACH RIB SO THAT EACH STRAP FORMS A LOOP WITH A FREE STRAP PORTION, SAID FREE STRAP PORTIONS BEING DISPOSED ON ONE SIDE OF THE BUOYANT ELEMENT IN ALIGNMENT WITH EACH OTHER ON THE SIDE OF THE BUOYANT ELEMENT REMOTE FROM THE BODY OF THE WEARER WHEN FASTENED ABOUT THE WAIST OF THE WEARER, AND FASTENING MEANS CARRIED BY THE FREE STRAP PORTIONS, THE ENDS OF SAID BUOYANT ELEMENT BEING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO EACH OTHER WHEN THE FASTENING MEANS ARE SECURED TO POSITION THE BELT ABOUT THE WAIST OF THE WEARER, WHEREBY THE FASTENING MEANS ARE SEPARATED FROM THE BODY OF THE WEARER AVOIDING CONTACT THEREWITH. 